Asian Sauces: Adapting Authenticity

By Andrew Hunter, Contributing Editor

Ive got to hand it to my dad. Hes 75 years old, lives in suburban Michigan and shakes up his comfort zone just by ordering the chow mein at his local Chinese restaurant. And while his culinary conservatism takes nothing away from his value as a parent, it makes him less than ideal as an audience for his son, the chef. Try as I might, I just cant get Dad to warm up to my métier, Asian cuisine.

But after years of plying him with everything from authentic" Burmese tea-leaf salad to authentic" Korean bulgogi, I realized that authentic" isnt all its cracked up to be. And for that, I have katsu sauce to thank.

Katsu sauce is Japans answer to Western steak sauce and, authentic or not, it proved an instant hit with Dad. He didnt care about its Japanese origins, or its traditional accompaniment of breaded pork cutlets. He didnt even care about the puréed fruits and vegetables in the recipe. All that mattered to him was that it tasted delicious.

As a selling point, you cant argue with delicious." The American palate is more cosmopolitan than ever, yet many consumers, like my dad, still eye the authentic" with wariness. Whether leery of a fish sauce that may be too fishy or a chile paste that may be too fiery, their cautiousnessand our reluctance as culinary professionals to mess around" with time-honored cuisineserects barriers that can keep the most captivating Asian sauces from hitting it big in America.

By emphasizing deliciousness over authenticityand by featuring Asian sauces in ways that even my dad can cravewe give Asian flavors just the introduction they need to gain a foothold with the mainstream. If we can do so while keeping authenticity intact, bonus points for us. If we cant, at least weve scored another convert willing to give unsung Asian sauces a try.

Katsu Crossing

Americans love barbecue sauce with pork not because our culinary heritage tells us to, but because the flavor profile of the former perfectly complements the latter. Likewise, the ingredients in katsu sauce make any kind of proteinwhether pork prepared in a Japanese katsu shop or burgers from my dads backyard grillmore appealing.

Katsu sauce is like Worcestershire sauce filtered through a Japanese lensa vehicle for umami that heightens savory flavors. The base derives sweetness from puréed apples and sugar, acidity from vinegar, and savory depth from naturally brewed soy sauce. Layered onto that are puréed tomatoes, onions and carrots, which add their own umami richness.

None of these elements would be unfamiliar to the American palate on their own. Puréed vegetables are the basis of many of our classic stocks and sauces. But its how they combine in katsuhow the finished sauce delivers a jolt of fruity sweetness atop its tangy-umami foundationthat makes it so compelling.

In Japan, youll find katsu sauce served not only with the breaded pork cutlets called tonkatsu (similar to Wiener schnitzel), but with the addictive battered-and-fried octopus dumplings known as takoyaki. For those whove discovered the sensory synergy between french fries and steak sauce, the Japanese penchant for dribbling katsu on their korokkedeep-fried potato croquettes that resemble overgrown tater totswill come as no surprise.

These applications should fly with American palates, as many are riffs on our own familiar snacks and street foods. Whats more, the liberality with which the Japanese deploy katsu sauce should ease pressure on Western product developers afraid of breaking culinary rules; after all, if chefs in Japan can reinterpret Wiener schnitzel to suit their customers tastes, why cant we adapt katsu to our own?

And katsu sauce is adaptable. Setting aside obvious applications like stir-fry kits and frozen Asian noodle bowls, consider blending it into marinades, dips and even meatballs or burger mixes. It amps up the flavors in fillings for Asian-style dumplings like gyoza, and I even pair it with fried chicken, whether Southern-fried or Japanese kara-áge-stylemarinated in soy sauce, ginger and garlic and lightly dusted with cornstarch before being deep-fried to a toasty finish.

Manufacturers and foodservice operators can dry-blend their own kara-áge coatings or turn to prepared mixes to eliminate mess and save labor. Ready-made katsu sauces also ease production, and many exhibit freeze/thaw and thermal stability thanks to the inclusion of functional starches.

Sriracha spice

Winning my dad over to katsu was a personal triumph, but Im still trying to sell him on sriracha, the orange-red chile sauce that you once only saw in Vietnamese or Thai restaurants, but that nowin modified formaccompanies Red Robin Gourmet Burgers breaded mushroom appetizer, and even McDonalds Chicken McNuggets.

These mass-market takes on the Southeast Asian original considerably tone down the spice that made sriracha famousor infamous, depending on your palate. But srirachas incendiary reputation is overblown. At its best, this condiment, table sauce and cooking ingredient manifests all the tastes we crave: sweet, salty, sour, spicy and, for good measure, garlicky. The interplay of these elements elevates sriracha above flames to a level of genuine sensory complexity.

Ironically, sriracha owes much of its complexity to the same chiles responsible for its spiciness. Chiles are as distinct in flavor as varietals of wine grapes or coffee beans, and their fruity, slightly sweet notes come through in a well-balanced sriracha. Given that the American palate has a demonstrated fondness for sweet and spicy flavors, these notes are the key that gains sriracha access to a broader audience.

At a recent Worlds of Flavor event at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, CA, my colleague Jet Tila, chef of Wazuzu in the Wynn in Las Vegas, cooked up spicy hot-link sausages served in brioche buns with nori flakes and kim cheehis twist on traditional sauerkraut. But the real kicker was the spread he made by spiking two parts mayonnaise with one part sriracha sauce. The play of flavors walked that dog to a whole new neighborhood, and it gave Tila an opportunity to showcase a classic Asian sauce in a novel way. Judging by the reception at the show, the concept worked.

Blending mayo and sriracha two-to-one is a handy tactic for softening the sriracha. But when you soften it even more, and combine four parts mayonnaise to one part sriracha, the sriracha becomes more of a background noteand colorto the mayonnaise.

We put this idea to work in an Asian-style tartar sauce that roped pickled ginger, celery, onions and hardboiled egg into the mix. The sweet, mildly acidic ginger contrasted with the srirachas spice; meanwhile, the creaminess of the mayonnaise smoothed everything out. Serve it with a basket of Baja-style fish tacos.

Its worth noting that sriracha earns its keep in manufacturing. Its a great vehicle for formulating with chiles without having to soak them first. And by using a little sriracha or a lot, you can titrate the heat it contributes. Ive formulated the sauce into condiments, dressings and marinades, where its assertiveness comes through even against the smoky notes of grilled protein, and where it blends easily into the kettle or vertical blender along with oil, soy sauce and any other ingredients youre using. I even mix a little sriracha into other Asian sauces, like ponzu, where the fruitiness of the chiles echoes the latters citrus notes.

Promoting Ponzu

Speaking of ponzu sauce, this tangy-sweet citrus-seasoned soy sauce is a staple accompaniment to noodles and sashimi in Japan, and is also a candidate for crossover success here. And the reason that product developers and research chefs prize it so much is that it neednt stand out in order to shine.

From a flavor standpoint, ponzu has a lot going for it. With its base of soy sauce, its umami factor is strong from the start. But the addition of bonito extracta natural Japanese flavor enhancer made from dried fishadds punch. Sugar contributes sweetness, while tartness and yet more sweetness come from vinegar and citrus juice.

In Japan, the citrus of choice is yuzu, a fruit whose rind is legendary for its aroma. But given the rarity of yuzu in the United Statesespecially in quantities sufficient for industrial productionlemon juice makes a fine substitute. Kikkoman has even developed a traditional lemon-orange citrus ponzu and a ponzu sauce that turns to lime for its citrus note. The lime flavor bridges Asian and Latin American cuisines, making it a delicious addition to guacamole, salsas, fish tacos and fajitas. These arent obvious outlets for ponzu, but the sauces subtlety and umami are, frankly, welcome anywhere.

And ponzus comfortable fit into even Latin American profiles further proves that it does its best work outside the spotlight as a finishing note. Another ponzu benefit: 1 tablespoon can contain halfor lessof the sodium in the same amount of soy sauce, but with no lack of flavor potency. Thats why it works so well, with little adornment, as a finishing sauce for fish ormy favoriteas a dip for sushi.

And this is what umami is all about: stretching flavor farther. So many unsung Asian sauces succeed because they exhibit this quality as a matter of course. Perhaps that makes umami the true mark of Asian authenticity. Delicious and authentic: Its a combination that even my dad could love.

Andrew Hunter is a research and development chef with more than 20 years of experience in culinary development and product innovation. Hunter is currently foodservice and industrial chef for Kikkoman Sales USA, Inc., where he is responsible for recipe development and ideation. As former vice president of culinary development for Wolfgang Puck, Hunter was responsible for translating Wolfgangs signature fine-dining vision into profitable, fast-casual menu concepts for 90+ Express and Bistro restaurants. He is a member of the Research Chefs Association. Hunter lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Marilyn, and two sons. Kimberly J. Decker, a California-based technical writer, also contributed to this article.

Asia Rising

If some Americans have yet to dip their chopsticks into Asian cuisine, its not for lack of opportunities. According to the Jan. 2011 "Ethnic FoodsU.S." report, from Chicago-based Mintel, Asian food holds the second-largest share (29%) of the fast-casual restaurant ethnic foods market and continues a steady growth trend. This segment outpaced the growth of all other segments in 2010, with an estimated 5.2% growth during 2009 to 2010. Further, in late 2010, the Panda Express fast-casual restaurant chain announced a plan to increase its number of restaurants by 70% over the next five years, highlighting the increasing prevalence and availability of Asian food.

Perhaps they stop at ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, a fast-casual unit that the team behind Chipotle Mexican Grill opened in Sept. 2011 in Washington, D.C. Or maybe they visit one of the Stir Crazy Fresh Asian Grills or Flat Top Stir-Fry Grills that Chicago-based Flat Out Crazy Restaurant Group operates. The group is set to open another concept, in San Franciscos flagship Macys, called SC Asian, a fast-casual hybrid serving a menu of Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and Indian dishes.

But even restaurants not explicitly identified as Asian are menuing more Asian dishes. According to Chicago-based Technomics 2011 "Market Intelligence Report: Asian," menus at the top-250 restaurant chains carried 19% more Asian items in the second half of 2010 than during the same time the year prior, and Mintel Menu Insights recently charted a 37% year-on-year increase in Pan-Asian" menu mentions, reflecting consumers willingness to look beyond China and Japan to other Asian cuisines, as well.

Technomic found that 58% of those surveyed have tried and like such sauces as teriyaki, soy, sweet-and-sour and Sichuan. Even more impressive, these sauces ranked second only to barbecue in the number of consumers who said they had tried and liked an Asian sauce with pork.

Other Asian Options

Asian sauces generally work well as marinades, as glazes on roasted and grilled meats and vegetables, as dipping sauces, and in stir-fries. But they can also do much to enliven and diversify everyday American fare via addition to common sauces like barbecue, spreads for burgers and other sandwiches, tacos, chicken wings, and vinaigrettes and other dressings. An examination of the traditional uses for common Asian sauces can provide a springboard for innovation and experimentation.

       Black bean. The mix of fermented black beans, garlic and soy sauce in black bean sauce adds savory flavor with heightened umami notes to slow-simmered stews and dipping sauces, as well as steamed seafood and vegetable dishes.

       Hoisin. This sweet-smoky, reddish-brown combination of plum purée, miso and soy sauce works well on roasted or grilled ribs, pork loin, poultry or seafood, as well as in mu shu pork and in noodle bowls.

       Mirin. This rice-wine cooking seasoning is the traditional foundation for teriyaki, featuring full-flavored sweetness with fermented notes. It can be used in a wide range of processed foods as a sweetener or flavoring ingredient.

       Oyster. Umami-rich oyster sauce has a fresh seafood aroma with salty-sweet notes. It boosts the flavor of Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese braises, stews, soups and sauces.

       Plum. Classic "duck sauce" is often used on grilled ribs and duck, and the sweet-tangy orange-brown sauce also works well as a dipping sauce for appetizers like prawns, wontons and eggrolls.

       Teriyaki. This classic Asian sauce combines sweet, tart, salty and slightly spicy elements with distinct wine-like and soy sauce notes. It's widely used as a curing marinade for meats (like beef jerky), and in sauces for beef, poultry, seafood and vegetables. Teriyaki can also be used as a stand-alone sauce in various appetizers and entrées.

       Thai chili. In this reddish-orange Southeast Asian sauce, sweetness helps balance the spice from Thai chiles and garlic to complement grilled meats like satay, as well as frozen appetizers like eggrolls.